Church notes - May 2019
5th May
Isaiah 40:18 - 28
Communion
Luke 16:19 - 31
The rich man - in a place of torment.
Through Jesus, God has provided a way for us to avoid it. Only through Him can we be saved.
Scripture Union
Began with 15 children in London in 1867
Josiah Spiers
His aim was to tell children and youth about Jesus.
SUFM - beach missions
Missionary families
Teaching children that being Christian is essentially missional.
http://www.sunsw.org.au/
Acts 17:16 - 32
The world is changing. Christianity is more distrusted; society has a negative view of it. We are coming full circle to the experience Paul had.
Paul in Athens - He was in distress that the city was full of idols.
He talked about Jesus.
1. In the Synagogue
- A place where the Jewish minority gathered to worship in a majority Pagan city.
Ministry here is only going to reach a minority of people.
2. In the Marketplace
A place where people gathered, publically
A place where believers and non-believers mixed naturally.
e.g. Social media, sport, community events. A shared space.
The Aeropagus
The public sphere were thinking occurred, and public policy was decided. The Government and/or media. Universities.
We have a place in the pluralistic society.
These three can be summed up as:
Our Space
Shared Space
Public Space
All three are valid and necessary places to share the Word, but in only one of these do we have the right to set the rules.
Changing times may mean changing methods, but it's been done before.
It is still valid to invite people into our space to hear about Jesus.
But with those who are less sympathetic we have to find ways to share in Shared Space.
We need to look for more opportunities to share in the Shared Space.
And we will have to continue to express our ideals in the Public Space, but with out the sense of entitlement or authority that came with Christendom.
We need to have the right attitude.
How are we going to connect?
12th May
'King of My Soul': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ5GBgyMDQU
'Do It Again': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B_lnQIITxU
Galatians 2:11 - 21
Hearing from God:
Romans 10:17
Main way of hearing from God.
'Cornerstone': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3HH__-1Zbs
'How Marvelous, How Wonderful': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVyeV5irvqc
Galatians 2:11 - 21
Pick your battles, be strategic (e.g. a parent of wayward teenagers...)
Why did Paul pick a battle with Peter? There was a big issue!
Dangers of Syncretism (No adding things from Buddhism, Islam or the New Age Movement, or anything else to our faith. That leads to disaster!)
Jewish history (throughout the Old Testament) provides abundant proof of why that is a bad idea.
So, Jews had a strong value of being separate from others.
Peter had overcome his Jewish scrupples (see Acts 10).
But... Acts 15:1
But he was in the wrong. Paul called him a hypocrite.
What is the truth of the Gospel?
'It is the good news that we sinners, guilty and under the judgement of God, may be pardoned and accepted by His sheer grace, His free and unmerited favour, on the ground of His Son's death and not for any works or merits of our own.' - John Stott.
Psalm 32
Pilgrim's Progress - Pilgrim sees Jesus at the cross - the burden drops off his back and rolls off, never to be seen again.
vs 15 - 16
A simple truth
We need to have a daily working understanding of justification
He has aquitted us.
God is righteous
We are not.
There's friction between us.
Two ways
The Law (all the commands in the Old Testament)
- That's the postion of the Judaisers
- Fundamental position of every religion in the world
- The biggest lie.
- No one can keep the Law perfectly.
Only Jesus could
vs 16
The alternative
- Justification through faith
- Acknowledge our sinfulness and put faith into Jesus
- Having confidence in Him.
- Jesus is the core of the Gospel
vs 21
The focus should be on Jesus.
vs 20
Romans 6:1 - 8
Romans 8:9, 10
No Longer the burden of the Law, but the freedom of the Spirit.
'Who Do You Say I Am': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKw6uqtGFfo
19th May
Galatians 3:1 - 21
Communion
Sometimes referred to as a 'sacrament'. But there is nothing special about the bread and grape juice (or wine). It is our hearts and minds being focused on the things of Christ. Examining ourselves to see if there things that need to be dealt with.
We need to examine ourselves.
1 Corinthians 11:27 - 32
Galatians 3:1 - 23
What is the cheif end of Man?
- To know God and enjoy Him forever.
'An irrefutable fact of nature is that people are made for fellowship with God. Outside that fellowship, we can never know complete fulfillment and meaning.' - Paul Tillich.
Are you OK with God?
vs 1
Paul was frustrated that the Galatians went along the wrong path by trying to obey the Law.
Five Arguements
vs 2,3
Did they receive the Spirit?
- By the Law?
- By faith? - Correct answer
Justified by faith - vs 6 - 8
(See Genesis 15)
We are redeeemed from the curse of the Law
An Enduring Covenant vs a Temporary Law.
vs 17, 18
Purpose of the Law
- Restrain fallen Human behaviour
- To make wrongdoing a legal offense.
- To point us to faith in the Messiah as our only hope.
The Law was good, but weak.
vs 21 - 22
The Law was temporary. It had served it's purpose. It is not the pathway for us to enjoy a relationship with God. Only through the freedom of Christ do we have victory.
'Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me'
26th May
Galatians 3:26 - 4:7
Things look good, but they need to function
Life changing declarations
Full Sons and Daughters of Christ
vs 26 - 29
Baptised into Christ
Romans 6:3 - 5
Planted with Him in His death and resurrection
All Sons of God
vs 28, 29
We are all one in Christ. Our differences are irrelevant. Our identity should be gained from being in Christ, not in frivolous distinctions.
Ephesians 2:11 - 18
John Stott: 'In Christ we are sons of God. God is no longer our judge, who through the Law has condemned and imprisoned us. God is no longer our tutor who through the Law restrains and chastens us. God is now our Father who in Christ has accepted and forgiven us. We no longer fear Him, dreading the punishment we deserve. We love him with deep family devotion. We are neither prisoners awaiting the final execution of our sentence, nor children under the restraint of a tutor, but sons of God and heirs of His glorious Kingdom.'
The wonderful news Paul is declaring, we have been declaring.
vs 4, 5
We haven't just been plucked from the fires of hell, we have the full inheritance.
vs 6
Luke 15:11 - 32
The Father didn't want to treat the younger son like a servant. He could only embrace him as a son.
Challenge: Live as a Son or daughter of God, not as a slave. Have a sense of victory.